Our latest thought leadership and research aims to inform and equip decision makers across business, finance and policy to lay the foundations for a sustainable economy.
Resource Productivity and the Circular Economy: The opportunities for the UK economy
May 2018 – This paper presents the findings of consultation with members of Business in the Community’s (BITC’s) Circular Economy Taskforce on opportunities for the UK to take a leading global role in resource productivity and to move towards a circular economy. It discusses the opportunities and challenges in accelerating the UK’s transition to a circular economy.
Renovation Roadmap: Making Europe’s homes fit for the 21st Century
April 2018 – This report draws on insights and experience from 12 businesses who are members of the CLG and its close network and are involved in energy-efficiency renovation of buildings. It highlights the importance of renovating EU homes at scale in order to deliver on the Paris Agreement and take advantage of the associated economic opportunities, and identifies the current barriers to a higher renovation rate as well as promising schemes and experimentations across the EU. It puts forward recommendations for EU Member States and local governments to address these barriers and make the most of this opportunity.
The pollination deficit: Towards supply chain resilience in the face of pollinator decline
April 2018 – Companies face potential shortages of raw materials, a fall in crop quality and challenges around security of supply because of an emerging pollination deficit, according to a report authored by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Rewiring leadership: The future we want, the leadership we need
March 2018 – Businesses face unprecedented change from social and environmental challenges, technical innovation and business model innovation. There is growing public expectation and a commercial case for businesses to shape and lead the change we need for a better future – not just adapt to it. This report outlines the Cambridge Impact Leadership Model, informed by CISL’s work with over 9,000 leaders. It describes how to develop the leadership we need to deliver value for business, society and the environment.
Modelling better business: Nestlé trials natural capital premium with UK dairy farmers
February 2018 – In the first in a series of ‘Modelling better business’ case studies, the Natural Capital Impact Group (NCIG) showcase its work with Nestlé to protect natural capital through an innovative scheme which provides dairy farmers with a price premium for taking practical measures to enhance the natural environment.
8 business and sustainability trends that will define 2018
January 2018 – In this trends briefing, you’ll find the condensed views and predictions of more than 40 Directors, Fellows, and Senior Associates affiliated to the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), supported by a survey of the wider CISL global Network of over 8,000 senior leaders and leading practitioners representing every industry on every continent.
Building leaders for long-term business performance
December 2017 – This report examines how multinational companies are equipping employees with the skills, knowledge and values to grow businesses for the long term. It deepens our understanding of how companies are defining and developing their leadership and talent pipelines in order to thrive in an increasingly complex business environment, while simultaneously contributing to long-term social, environmental and economic goals.
The inescapable truth: Brexit, business and natural capital
December 2017 – Brexit requires the United Kingdom to develop its own policy towards agriculture and rural land to replace the Common Agricultural Policy. This working paper outlines how future policies have the potential to protect and improve natural capital in order for UK businesses to remain competitive and resilient.
Resilient cities: A toolkit for insurers to identify the business case
November 2017 – This toolkit is designed to help insurers identify commercial opportunities, through the development of new products and services that can support cities in their response to natural catastrophes. The toolkit, which is split across two workshops, contains all the material a facilitator needs in order to hold internal conversations on the future role of their organisation in managing the protection gap.
Insurable Cities: The ClimateWise Principles Independent Review 2017
November 2017 – The ClimateWise Principles Independent Review 2017 of the six ClimateWise Principles finds a third year of improved scores for members of the insurance industry leadership group. On its 10th anniversary the report finds the industry has improved its investment activities but members should look to further integrate climate change related initiatives into their core business strategies and look to increase board-level oversight on climate change and sustainability.
